


a room filled with light

by WishingTree



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Gen, S01E04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 11:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12886479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishingTree/pseuds/WishingTree
Summary: Nico is the one Karolina chooses to reveal her powers to for the first time instead of Chase





	a room filled with light

**Author's Note:**

> Written very quickly, and I’m gonna need some more episodes before I have a proper grip on the characters, but I did my best and I hope it’s still enjoyable!

After Chase tells Karolina the whole story about the party, they sit in silence until the doorbell rings from the house. Karolina startles, jolted from her thoughts, and she feels Chase do the same at her side. Exchanging a look, they push themselves to their feet and make their way inside, Karolina resolving to finish processing everything she's learned later.

“Nico!” Involuntarily, Karolina feels a pleased smile stretch across her face when she pulls the door open and sees Nico standing on her front porch. “Hey!” 

“Hey,” Nico says awkwardly, shifting as she clutches the strap of her bag. Karolina steps back and waves her inside, and Nico gives her a small smile.

“Alright, I should go,” Chase says abruptly from behind Karolina. He gives them both a nod and moves towards the open door. “I’ve got some stuff to do before my dad gets home, so I’ll see you guys later.” 

“Bye, Chase,” Karolina nods and waves at him, “And thank you again, for everything.” 

“Anytime,” he gives them another smile and then disappears down the driveway. Closing the door, Karolina turns back to Nico expectantly.

“So what’s up?” 

Nico straightens and gets right to the point. “Gert said you found something encrypted on your mom’s laptop? I came to get it, Alex is camped out at Timely.” 

“Oh,” Karolina blinks, “Gert already left with the files.” 

“What?”

“Yeah, she said she was going to go give it to Alex.” 

“Oh,” Nico stops, “Crap, okay, then I guess I’ll just… get out of your hair. Sorry for just showing up like this.” She moves to leave again, but Karolina speaks up before she can stop herself.

“Nico, why is it so hard for you to believe that maybe they’re innocent?” Karolina asks quietly, berating herself for sounding so unsure.

Nico stops moving, and then she slowly turns back to face her. She gives her a measured look, and Karolina mostly expects her to ignore the question and storm out. Nico doesn’t like humouring people, Karolina knows this much even after two years of distance between them.

However, Nico only bites her lip and sighs. “Because my parents… are not _like_ your parents. Not really.” She shakes her head, “Especially since Amy, I always knew there was something shady about them. I mean, I didn’t think it was _murder_ , but…” 

And Karolina thinks she gets it. Nico’s parents, while perfectly cordial, even kind in Robert’s case, had never been the most comfortable, not even when they were little and playing together during Pride meetings.

While Karolina’s parents could be a little preoccupied and detached, with all their attention directed outwards, they were good people. They always had been. And she knew she could count on them when it mattered, no matter what the others said.

Nico shakes her head again. “Me and Alex went to the cops. And I know you don’t want to hear it, Karolina, but – ” 

“Can we just… not talk about it for a little bit?” Karolina interrupts, wrapping her arms around herself, “Just – just right now, let’s not talk about it, please. Just for a little while.” 

Nico stares at her for a long moment, and then something in her eyes softens. “Okay. But if Alex finds something on the files Gert’s passing him… you are going to have to accept it.” 

She turns to leave again, and Karolina reaches out, this time driven by the panicked desperation she's been pushing down for days. “Wait!” 

Nico turns back to her once more, and Karolina flounders under her gaze. “We’re… friends, right? Still?” She knows the word’s not completely accurate, not anymore, but uses it for lack of a better one. 

She waits nervously for Nico’s nod, and then exhales. “Can – can I talk to you about something then?” she asks unsurely, twisting her hands together. “Or – show you something, I guess.” 

Nico’s expression is wary, but she nods again all the same.

“I just – I want somebody else to see it, so I won’t be…” Karolina presses her lips together, averting her eyes. She doesn't want to be alone in this, not like with everything else. “Or, you know, if I’m crazy then at least I’ll know! I mean, I hope it’s real, because it was really beautiful, but – ” She cuts herself off at the confused look on Nico’s face. She really hopes she isn’t going crazy. “Just… hear me out?” 

Nico tilts her head to the side and then shrugs, hiking her bag up her shoulder and nodding. “Of course.” 

Karolina sighs in relief and then waves her forwards, leading the way up the stairs.

“That night, before we all ended up at Alex’s house…” she begins, “I was at a party, the same one Chase was at.” Reaching the top of the stairs, she pushes her bedroom door open and then stands back for Nico to enter before her. “Something – something happened, something that I can’t… explain.”

Nico is looking around curiously, and Karolina tries to discretely glance around to make sure there isn't anything too embarrassing lying around for her to see. 

“Something happened?” Nico prompts, tentatively lowering her bag onto the floor next to Karolina’s desk, and Karolina blushes, turning away to go draw the blinds.

“Right, yeah. I was dancing alone, and then somehow I passed out. And everyone keeps telling me it’s because I was drunk, or high or whatever, but I didn’t take anything! I didn’t drink, all I did was dance, and then… I woke up in a different room, and Chase was there.” She bites her lip, deciding not to tell Nico what she just learned about that night, about what had almost happened. 

“Anyways, something happened before that, and I think I can make it happen again,” she turns back to Nico and hesitates, “But I’ve been too scared to try. So if I pass out again, I need you to help me, okay? Just…” she looks down and fiddles with her bracelet, the smooth metal not bringing her its usual level of comfort. “Just put my bracelet back on me, that should be enough.” 

“Whoa, pass out? What are you – your bracelet?” 

“I’m going to take it off,” Karolina tells her seriously, and Nico’s mildly incredulous look tells her that she doesn’t understand the gravity behind the words. Karolina can hardly believe them herself. 

Not bothering to explain, Karolina inhales and then quickly yanks at her bracelet to open the clasp before she loses her nerve, carelessly letting it fall to the ground.

Immediately, a wave of overwhelming _warmth_  rushes over her. She gasps at the feeling, and the walls around her light up as she inexplicably starts to _glow_.

She’s _glowing_.

She beams as she looks down, relief washing over her as she turns her arms over to try and take it all in. Absorbed in the light show, it takes her a moment to remember Nico standing across from her, and she looks up to see her reaction.

“Woah,” the other girl breathes, eyes wide, and Karolina can't help but laugh, feeling elation welling up in her chest. The lights dance in front of her eyes, and she stares at her arms, moving them through the air just to see what will happen.

“How – how are you doing that?” 

“I don’t know how! I don’t even know – what,” Karolina laughs again, wiggling her fingers in delight. It feels like a million little fireflies have taken up residence in her soul, lighting everything up, and Karolina could get addicted to this feeling. It's… freeing.

The light plays off of Nico when she raises a hand towards Karolina, drawing her attention, and Karolina’s eyes slide towards her. Her hair shines prettily and she’s got multicolored lights dancing across her skin, and for some reason Karolina blushes before she stares down at herself again. Her entire body is lit up, from her toes to the braid she has hanging over her shoulder, and Karolina is entranced.

“What does it feel like?” Nico asks in a hushed voice as she drifts closer, amazement clear on her face.

“Good,” Karolina says giddily, “Warm.” She lifts her head and meets her gaze, and then she feels like she could get lost in Nico’s eyes, rainbow lights making them shimmer in the dim room. “It feels like… feels like I can fly,” she marvels, not looking away until Nico blinks and takes one last hesitant step closer. 

“Can – can I touch it?” Her voice is hushed as she stares, and Karolina consciously stops herself from bouncing on her toes.

Karolina nods, lifting a hand towards her, and she sees Nico take a deep breath. The shadows being cast on the wall morph with the movement, following the light Karolina is emitting, and Karolina feels like she could stay here forever, safe in her room with Nico and the light.

Slowly, delicately, Nico reaches out and lays her hand against Karolina’s outstretched one, starting with her fingertips until their palms are pressed together. The touch calms her instantly, and Nico lets out a little giggle at the contact, her lips parted in amazement. The sound surprises Karolina even as her chest swells, and the light swirls brightly, some of it seeming to extend onto Nico’s arm. Karolina hopes she can feel at least some of this warmth.

Nico tilts her head from side to side as she tries to take in their joined hands from different angles. “Beautiful,” she murmurs softly, completely absorbed with watching the lights play off of her skin, and Karolina doesn’t say anything, absorbed with watching her.

The soft light surrounds them, filling the room, and though Karolina doesn’t have any idea how this works, in that moment she feels like she can light up the world.

 


End file.
